Misadventures of Jackson and Chase at Walmart
by skychaseing
Summary: "Can we play hide'n'seek?" I asked her. Annabeth shrugged, but then asked, "Here? In walmart?" I nodded. "You're it first," she said as she went to go hide. I turned around and started counting. I needed to find her quick before this newfound courage disappeared. -one hour later- Well...time for plan B, I guess!


Misadventures of Jackson and Chase at Walmart

A/N: Not really sure where I came up with this..but I was bored beyond belief. Originally, I wasnt planning on having Alexis in the story at all, but she kinda just happened. If anyone can give me a better ending, I'm all ears because I don't like mine much. Disclaimer-I don't own anything-

I looked over my 22-year-old shoulder suspiciously. She's watching me, I can feel it. I thought to myself. I hated it when she went all big brained and planny on me! It made it almost impossible to win at this game. "Oh, Wise Girl," I said in the sweetest voice I could manage, "come out, come out, wherever you are!"

That was an hour ago, and I decided I needed to step it up a notch. I walked into the electronic section where all the TV's were playing Despicable Me in sync. Seeing what I was looking for, I walked over to a young curly blonde haired little girl sitting cross-legged, watching the movie intently. After looking behind me and making sure that my girlfriend was nowhere to be seen, I plopped down next to her with my legs straightened out, and leaned against one of the DVD racks. "Hi, my name is Percy. What's your name?" I asked her in a loud whisper. She glanced over at me for hardly a second before turning back to the movie. "Alexis," she said in the same whisper, "what do you want?" I laughed at her bluntness and she grinned a little before looking at me expectantly. I coughed and nodded, "Right, sorry Alexis," I started in a posh voice, "would you do me a favor and help me look for my girlfriend? We are playing hide and seek and I just can't seem to find her! I have a very important question to ask her, but I can't ask her if I can't find her…You wouldn't have seen her by chance would you?" You would think a normal 5-year-old would have a limited range of facial expressions, but this one gave me a face that clearly stated that she thought I was an idiot and that she didn't have time for such petty peasant problems. She turned back to her movie, completely content with not responding to my words. I sighed and sat up to face her better, "Look, I'm desperate here! I've been looking for an hour now, and I'm still no closer to finding her!" I didn't even get an eye flicker. I slouched back down and leaned my head against the wall of movies. I thought for a second, a plan forming in my head. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Her name is Annabeth, and she's been my best friend for like 10 years. She has the most gorgeous laugh I've ever heard, and is outrageously smart. I think you would like her! You remind me of her a lot, actually. She gives me that look all the time, hah." I opened one eye and looked down at her only to watch her curls sway slightly from the quick turn of her head. Good, she's listening. I closed my eye again and continued. "She has pretty princess curls, too, just like you! And the same pretty dimples! Ahh, and don't even get me started on her eyes! They're this amazing grey color, and they have this thing they do so when she's concentrating, or angry then they get really dark and stormy, but when she's happy they get really light and I swear they sparkle when she's sleepy. Not to mention the way her nose crinkles after she apologizes, almost as if she thinks the word itself smells funny. Cutest thing EVER! OH, an-" I was stopped mid-sentence by a small hand touching my cheek. I opened my eyes and came face to face with a very close Alexis that was standing up but only at my eye level. She looked me dead in the eye and said quite adorably in a voice only a kid can pull off, "Dude, you are whipped." I blinked at her a few times with my mouth open, questioning if she even knew what that meant before I smiled. She took a couple of steps back and gestured for me to stand up. I did as l was told, and she grabbed a hold of my hand and started walking. If I had learned anything in the last few years of being a camp counselor, it was that when a little girl takes you by the hand, no matter how bad ass you think you are, you follow without complaint. So, I did! We walked along, passing isles, and a woman who I assumed to be her mother because Alexis held up a finger saying, "Hold on" to the woman who just looked baffled at the sight of her small child pulling a tan buff dude. I just smiled and waved awkwardly.

After passing the electronic accessories, computers, and video games, she stopped abruptly in front of the movies and I had to bend over to keep myself from flattening her. She looked up at me and with a serious voice told me to wait here. I watched her walk to the edge of the next aisle over and peek around the corner. I looked up and read that it was the book aisle(of course!). She turned and grinned at me before she walked out into the open and said in the most pitiful voice I'd ever heard, " 'scuse me miss..?" she looked almost like she was about to cry –I had to give her props, this was the smartest kid I'd ever met- I heard Annabeth respond sweetly, "Yes sweetie, do you need help?" Alexis nodded her head and said, "I can't find my mommy!" I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing as a tear rolled down her cheek. There was the sound of a book shutting and some shuffling that sounded like someone was standing up, which suggested that Annabeth had sat down to read a book since I took so long. I hid behind a section of the movies Alexis had stopped me in front of, and watched through a crack as Annabeth took hold of the little girls' hand. I moved around the movies as they walked past me so she wouldn't see me, and after the coast was clear I walked silently behind them. As soon as they found her, Alexis dropped Annabeths' hand and ran to her mom. Alexis started thanking Annabeth, really laying the sweetness on thick to keep her attention. I took that as a signal and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and putting my head on her shoulder. "Tag," I said quietly in her ear. She shivered as I said it, but sighed afterwards. "Took you long enough, Seaweed brain!" She turned and put her arms around my neck, giving me a light kiss in the end. I smiled and let go of her, reaching up to grab her hand, and then turned my attention to Alexis. I bowed dramatically and said with a fake English accent, "Thank you my dear lady for helping me find my fair princess!" She giggled and cheesed a big smile and said shyly and slyly "Aren't you gonna ask 'er your queston?" I cocked my head sideways and smiled at her. "Well, since you asked!" I turned to Annabeth, whose hand I still had, and looked in her eyes. They were a calm grey, meaning she was happy. I grinned stupidly at her and she looked at me confused. "Percy, did you get this little girl to help you find me?" I shook my head trying for innocence, "Not really! She kind of just led me to you…" She raised an eyebrow at me and I just shrugged. I started to get a little nervous and I knew that I needed to ask her now, or else I might never do it! Taking a shaky breath, I reached into my pocket and wrapped my hand around the small box was my future. I glanced over at Alexis and she smiled encouragingly at me. Then I looked over at her mom, who by the way she was trying to hid her smile and looking to be very busy reading the box of Cereal, knew exactly what was happening. I liked my lips and looked down at Annabeth who had been watching me this whole time. "Perc-" she tried to say something but I stopped her by saying, "Hey, remember that time last year I knelt down to tie my shoes and you thought I was proposing? She blushed, muttering, "How could I forget, the most embarrassing moment of my life…Why?" I smiled crookedly at her. "Whale," I said, trying to bring some humor into this giant moment as I let go of her hand and slowly started kneeling down, "let's just say that I'm not tying my shoe this time…" My knee touched the ground and I opened the box out in front of me. Her eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth as she realized what was happening. "Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?" I asked softly. She didn't respond immediately, so I looked down and I bit my lip with anticipation. "WELL GO ON!" said a high pitched childish scream, "KISS HIM!" I smiled bashfully, and looked up at Annabeth and she nodded, still unable to voice an answer. I closed my eyes and let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I stood up and she gave me a kiss as I took her left hand and put the ring on her finger. I walked over to Alexis and her mom. Alexis, who was wiping her eyes, looked up at me and I smiled at her. I bent down to her level and stuck out my fist. "Thanks girly! Couldn't have done it without you." She blushed, but fist bumped me back. I stood up and gave her mom a hand shake saying, "You've got an extremely smart daughter, I hope you know. "She nodded and said something along the lines of congrats. Annabeth had been waiting patiently, and as I finished up, I felt her take hold of my hand. She voiced her thanks to Alexis and then leaned up on her tippy toes and whispered in my ear, "Race you to the car?" and with that she was gone. I started after her, but then glanced back catching a pair of little blue eyes. I winked at her, and she gave me a small wave. Turning my head back, I ran through Walmart after my best friend.

Alexis watched him go, both excited for her new friend and sad that their little adventure was over. "Good luck." She said in a small voice. Then she turned to her mom, "Food?" "Food." Her mom agreed, as she started pushing the buggy away.

She wouldn't know it yet, but Alexis would meet Percy again at summer camp the next year -and every year after that for the next 7 years. She would baby sit their son for them, then their daughter, and help them in any ways she could- always playing a part in their life, but it wasn't until her mom died and they adopted her that she realized that they had played an important part in her life, too.

The End.


End file.
